title: A new class of quorum quenching molecules from Staphylococcus species affects communication and growth of gram-negative bacteria.
abstract: The knowledge that many pathogens rely on cell-to-cell communication mechanisms known as quorum sensing, opens a new disease control strategy: quorum quenching. Here we report on one of the rare examples where Gram-positive bacteria, the 'Staphylococcus intermedius group' of zoonotic pathogens, excrete two compounds in millimolar concentrations that suppress the quorum sensing signaling and inhibit the growth of a broad spectrum of Gram-negative beta- and gamma-proteobacteria. These compounds were isolated from Staphylococcus delphini. They represent a new class of quorum quenchers with the chemical formula N-[2-(1H-indol-3-yl)ethyl]-urea and N-(2-phenethyl)-urea, which we named yayurea A and B, respectively. In vitro studies with the N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) responding receptor LuxN of V. harveyi indicated that both compounds caused opposite effects on phosphorylation to those caused by AHL. This explains the quorum quenching activity. Staphylococcal strains producing yayurea A and B clearly benefit from an increased competitiveness in a mixed community.
authors.affiliation: Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Tübingen (IMIT), Microbial Genetics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ya-Yun
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Mulugeta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nega
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wölfle
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Plener
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grond
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Friedrich
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Götz
mesh_terms: D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000502:physiology; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000502:physiology*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014508:Urea / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C088386:homoserine lactone; D014508:Urea; D011494:Protein Kinases; C084290:luxN protein, Vibrio harveyi; D015107:4-Butyrolactone